Combined typewriting and computing



July 2, 1940. H. L. PITMAN COMBINED TYPEWNITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Original Filed March 25, 1952 4 .Sheets-Sheet 1 /llll/l//l/l//lllllll/l/ MAZ' A TTORNEY.

July 2, 1940. H. PITMAN COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Original Filed March 25, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1940. H. l.. PITMAN 2,205,577

COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Original Filed March 25, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 2, 1940.' H. L. PITMAN lC(Z'!\IB1NED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE 4 sheets-sheet 4 Original Filed March 25, 1952 INVENTOR.

5y i l ATTORNEY Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE COMBINED TYPEVVRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Original application March 25, 1932, Serial No.

Divided and this application March 25, 1937, Serial No. 133,199

8 Claims.

rl'his invention relates to computing machines of the Underwood-Hanson class and more particularly to general operator mechanism for actuating the register bars for such machines. 'd' This application is a division of my co-opending application Serial No. 601,173, (now Patent No. 2,078,274, dated April 27, 1937), led March 25, 1932, which 'n a continuation in part of and copendent with my application No. 324,353, led December 7, 1928 (now Patent No. 1,927,951, dated September 26, 1933).

The register bars may have digit pins that are settable through cooperation of digit keys and a register bar selecting carriage. l5 A general operator member extending transversely of and common to all the register bars is employe-d to move in advance and return strokes. In its advance stroke, said member engages the set digit pins of the register bars and thereby advances the latter, from a normal position, to extents corresponding to the digit pins that have been set. The return stroke oi the general operator member serves to return the register bars to said normal positions. A driver advanceable from and returnable to a normal position employed to reciprocate said general operator member. Certain operations, such as tens carrying, may be eiected during a materially extensive time interval succeeding the advance 30 strokes of the register bars and preceding their return strokes.

The driver may have advance and return strokes of predetermined extent as measured parallelly with the strokes of the general operator member.

An object of the invention is to effect, within the limits and during the course of such driver strokes, a halting of the general operator movementbetween the end of itsfadvance and the im start of its return in order to afford an ample time interval for such operations as tens carrying.

Another object is to keep the general operator member stationary for said time interval while and even though the driver is in movement near the forward extremity vof its strokes.

Another object is to hold the general operator positively in its advance position While and even though said driver is in movement near the forward extremity of its stroke.

Another object of the invention is to amplify the stroke of the general operator member to its full measure relatively to a materially lesser eX- tent of a companion or general-operator-driving part ofthe stroke of the driver in order to minimize'the total extent of the driver stroke.

In carrying out these objects, certain relative displacements of the driver and general operator member, in the direction of the strokes of the latter, may be eiected during a cycle or operation of the general operator mechanism. Means for effecting or causing such relative displacement may be adapted for positively preventing other or undue relative displacements of the driver and general operator member during the cycle.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as set forth in the appended claims and preferably embodied as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross-section through the combined typewriting and computing machine, including, in side elevation, details of one embodiment of the invention. v

Figure 2 is a side elevation, including details of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a skeleton perspective of the computing mechanism including details of the Figure 1 embodiment of the invention.

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged side views, showing details of the carrying mechanism and details of the embodiment of the general operator mechanism of Figures 2 and 3, Figure 4 showing said mechanisms in normal position, and Figure 5 showing said mechanism operated to eiect thev carrying oi a number.

Figures 6 and 7 are partial plan views of the embodiment shown in Figure 2.

As seen in Figure l, the novel computing mechanism co-operates with a typewriter in which numeral-keys I mounted on key-levers II may, throughother members of the usual type-action,

cause types I2 to print against a platen I3. Said platen I3 is in a carriage I4 traveling on rails I and I6 ofthe typewriter-framework II. By operation of the type-keys said carriage is propelled in letter-feeding steps determined by an escapement-mechanism I8 under control of said keys and spring-motor I9.

The computing mechanism may include one or more sets of computing Wheels 20, Figure 3, indicating four sets of computing Wheels. For each computing wheel there is a register-bar 2| carrying a series of downwardly-settable indexpins 22, for the .digits from 0 to 9. As disclosed in my co-pending Patent No. 1,869,582, dated August 2, 1932, only one pin at a time may be set in a bar. The 0 pin in each register-bar tol is normally set, and is, of course, restored by the setting of any higher pin in a register-bar.

For setting an index-pin in any register-bar, each numeral-key lever has depending therefrom a stem 24, to rock a shaft 25, each keylever having its own shaft. The several shafts 25 are foractuating parallel motion pin-setting linkages 26, one for each numeral-key. Each linkage includes a pin-setting bar 21 movable edgewise and downwardly upon operation of said linkage by its numeral-key.

As indicated in Figure 1, downward movement of a pin-setting bar 21 is ineffective to set a pin in a register-bar unless the barA is slightly advanced to bring the pins therein under the pin-v setting bars 21. This advance is accomplished seriatim for the several register-bars by the movement of tappets 3| settable along rails `32r of said carriage according to the location of zones of carriage travel in which index-pins are to be set. By the step-by-step movement` of the typewriter-carriage |4 in such zone, a tappet displaces, in seriatim order, the ends 34 of jacks 35. and thereby depresses push-rods 36, to rock levers 31, each lever having one arm 38 connected to a push-rod as shown, and another arm 39 connected to one end of a transposing linkage 40, the other end of said linkage 40 pushing upon a pin 4| projecting fromv the side of a corresponding register-bar. According to the usual practice, the tappets 3| are offset from one another, see Figure 1, each tappet being mounted on a dog 33. By such offsetting one tappet is effective on only one set of jacks 35 and ineffective on other sets of jacks 35, according to which set or sets of register-bars 2| shall be indexed, therebeing a set of jack trains for each set of register-bars.

With the typewriter-carriage I4 in a computing zone, a push-rod 36 will have been depressed by means of the tappet 3|, and the register-bar 2| connected thereto will be advanced, so that its index-pins 22 are under the pin-setting bars 21. Operation of a numeral-keynow will `cause the corresponding pin-'setting bar 21 to descend and set a corresponding index-pin 22. The carriage I4 then escapes, releasing said push-rod 36 and causing the corresponding register-bar to be retracted by means of a spring-device '42. In the meanwhile, the push-rod 36 forthe next column will have been depressed as'the carriage took its letter-feeding step andthe next register-bar will have been advanced to bring its index-pinsunder the pin-setting bars. In this manner is the pinsetting accomplished seriatim for the registerbars as the carriage movesa computing'zone of the work-sheet, column by column, past the printing point. V

The transposing linkages 4U transpose the seriatim order in letter-feeding direction, of push-rod operation into the proper but reverse order of the seriatirn,indexing` ofthe registerbars, each linkage 40 includinga bell-crank llll which engages the pin 4|.

Theindex-pins 22 are set into the path of register-bar-engaging fingers 473 formed at the upper ends of leversl 44, carried bya general operator member or cross-bar l45 movablemfo'rward and back for advancingu'the'register-bars,and returning the advanced bars. Said levers 44 arenoperable for effecting extra carrying advance of the register-bars as explained in my aforesaid Patent No; 2,078,274. a. a n a* v AFormo'vng the cross-bar 45 in the direction in which it is to advance and return the registervbars 2|, there are employed the usual racks 46 guided for reciprocatory endwise movement along the inner sides of side members 41 of the computing-mechanism framework. Said racks 46 carry plates 48 provided with slots 49 in which tenons U at the ends of said cross-bar are inserted. Said slots 49 are longer than is the width of said tenons, so that the cross-bar may slide edgewise in said slots for a purpose to be explained. By moving both racks 46 in unison, the cross-bar 45 may be moved Without skewing, and, to this end, said racks are coupled by a cross-shaft 52 journaled in said framework side members 41, and having gear-sectors 53 fastened thereto, one at each end of said shaft, aligned with said racks 46, see Figure 3. Said gear-sectors are not directly connected to the racks, but are connected thereto by intermediate pinions 54, mounted on the side members 41, to give the racks 46 the right direction of movement in respect to reciprocatory rotation of the cross-shaft 52, which may have connected thereto an operating handle (not shown), for hand operation of the computing mechanism. For operationby power, there may be used the power-drive shown in the patent to F. A. Hart, No. 1,171,403, dated February 8, 1916, said mechanism presenting a driver 55, which, driven by a crank (not shown), reciprocates forth and back in the direction of movement of the racks 46 and register-bars 2|. Connection between said driver 55 and the racks 46 is made by means of the usual member 56, which embraces said driver, as seen in Figure 1, and which is fastened to the under side of the left-hand rack 46, said driver being positioned sidewise of the machine to align with said lefthand rack 45. For disengaging the power-drive, the casing 5|, from which the driver 55 projects, may be lowered in the usual manner, to thereby Withdraw said driver 55 from the member 56. When the driver ,55 is `thus withdrawn, the computing mechanism may be hand operated by means of the aforesaid handle (not shown) By means of the usual key-operated clutch not shown herein, but shown in said Hart patent, the driver 55 is normally disconnected from the motor-drive and is stationary in the 'position shown in Figure 1. By means of said clutch and its controlling key, the driver is connected to the motor-drive long enough to impart just one forthand-back movement to said driver and hence to the cross-bar 45.

When the cross-bar 45 has advanced and carried the register-bars 2| forward, to extents determined by whichever digit-pins 22 were set, in the several register-bars, there must be a suitable period of time during which certain carrying operations may take place, as will hereinafter be explained. That is, said cross-bar 45 must not immediately start its return movement after completing its advance movement, because such immediate return movement would in some cases return certain register-bars 2l before they had time to carry. To hold the cross-bar 45 stationary for a sufficiently long carrying period, the last portion of the forward stroke of the driver 55 and an initial portion of the return stroke of said driver are rendered ineffective to move the cross-bar 45, said driver 55 moving forth and back as usual, butthe time-period of said portions of its strokes being apportioned to said carrying operations. It is to this end that said cross-bar is movable e'dgewise in its retaining slots 49 of the rack-plates 48, it being understood that said plates 48 will move with the driver 55 throughout the full range of V movement of said driver, and that the cross-bar 45 alone is held stationary just before and just after said driver 55 completes its forward stroke. For'thus holding said cross-bar 45 stationary, there may be mounted and fastened on each framework side member 41 -a plate 51, in which is formed a cam-slot 58, the plates being disposed, as best seen in Figure 3, between the racks 46and the walls of the side member 41. On each rack 46 there is pivoted at 59 on a suitable stud, as shown, a bell-crank lever 60, having a horizontal arm 6l for engaging the cam-slot 58 and `an upright arm 82 connected to the cross-bar 45 by a link 63, the latter having a pivotal connection 64 to said arm 62. The horizontal arm 6l carries a cam-follower or roll 65 for engaging the cam-slot 58. The arms 6I, 62 of said lever are on opposite sides of the rack 46 and are joined by a cross-piece 66 (Figure 3), forming part of said lever 60. The link 63 is attached at one end to the cross-bar by screws 61, there being provided suilicient play between the sides of the slot 48 and the tenon 50 to avoid binding between said tenon and slot as the lever 60 rocks.

The range of forth-and-back movement of the driver 55 may, as in the case herein illustrated, be just enough for full advance and return of the register-bars 2|. In such case, if the aforesaid portions of driver-movement preceding and following its most advanced position are rendered ineffective to move the cross-bar 45, so that there may be afforded time for carrying, it follows that said cross-bar 45 must in some other manner still receive the same extent of movement as the driving member 55. To compensate for the idle portion of the forward movement of the driver 55, the cam-slot 58 is sloped downwardly at 59. This downward slope through the medium of the lever 68 causes an advance of the cross-bar 45, relatively to the racks 46 and plates 48, sufficient to compensate for the movement lost through the idle portion of the forward stroke of the driver 55. When said driver starts its idle portion of stroke, it is rendered ineffective to further advance the cross-bar 45. This is accomplished by a reverse movement of the lever 6D, the cam-slot 5S, to this end, including an upturned portion 1U, so formed that the crossbar 45 is held stationary because of the reverse movement, relatively to the driver 55 imparted to the lever 68 by said upturned portion 10 while the driver 55 completes its forward stroke. As the driver 55 thus completes its forward stroke, the roll 65 will have reached the position shown in full lines in Figure 5. The broken lines, indicating the roll 65 and the driver 55, indicate, with reference to the full-line positions of said roll and driver, some measure of the idle part of the stroke of said driver 55. It will be evident that at the beginning of the return stroke of said driver 55, there is also an idle portion in which the cross-bar 45 is not moved While the roll 65 rides down the cam-slot portion 10 with consequent rotation of the lever 60. Also, in said return movement of the driver 55, the cam-slot portion at 69 will be effective to extend the return movement of the cross-bar 45 suficiently by means of said lever 60 to fully restore the register-bars 2|. The cross-bar 45 in its fully returned position may abut stops 68a,

Figures 3, 4 and 5.

Another form of cross-bar-driving mechanism is indicated in Figures 2, 6 and 7. In this latter form, the revolution of a roller 13, driven in a circle by a motor 14, is translated into reciprocatory movement of the cross-bar 45 by means of a link 15 fastened to said cross-bar and projecting rearwardly therefrom. The link 15 has at its rear end a head 16 forming a face 11 which the roller 13, revolving in the direction of the arrow, Figure 6, may engage to push the link 15 forwardly, said roller 13 in its initial position being as indicated in Figure '1. When the revolution of the roller 13 has advanced vthe link 15 sufficiently to complete the stroke of the crossbar 45, said roller idly passes a curved portion 18 of the face 11, said curved portion 18 being at this time concentric with a stud 19 about which said roller 13 revolves on a plate 80. The period of this idle movement of the roller 13 before it begins to retract the link 15 and crossbar 45 is utilized to insure in this form of drive the completion of carrying operations, already mentioned. I'he cross-bar 45 is, where this form of power-drive is employed, fixed in the plates, designated in Figures 2 and 6 by reference numbers 48a, no movement of said cross-bar relative to said plates being required.

As seen in Figure 6, the curved portion 18 is preferably so designed that the idle movement of the roller 13 may be about evenly apportioned on either side of the extreme forward position which said roller reaches, the length of said curved portion 18 depending on the time interval to be allowed for carrying before retraction of the link 15 is commenced. Figure .6 indicates by the broken circle at the right the position of the roller 13 at that point of its revolution about the stud 19 where it commences the return of the link 15. For returning the link 15 the roller 13 reacts against a face 82 of said link. Inasmuch as the roller 13 in that part of its revolution in which it moves forward can have no effect on said face 82, the latter does not extend beyond the position from which said roller begins its forward movement. Moreover, by thus limiting the extent of the face 82, it is feasible to move the cross-bar 45 forwardly independently of said roller, as in hand-operation, in which case the normal position of the roller may be as indicated in Figure 7. The face 82 may for a portion of its length be concentric With the curved portion 18 of the face 11, thereby giving acceleration to the final part of the return movement of the link 15 and keeping the roller 13 close to the face 11-18.

The roller 13 revolves only when the registerclutch-shaft 85, for arrangement of the parts as indicated. Said shaft 85 may be connected to the roller-carrying plate 80 by a pinion 86 'fast to the shaft 85, and a meshing pinion 81, fast to the plate 86. 'Ihe motor 14 may be supported on a base 68 of the computing machine.

Details of operation of the novel general operator mechanism will be understood from the foregoing description and said operation may be summarized as follows:

In the modification shown in Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, Figures l, 3 and 4 show the partsin their normal positions wherein the cam follower 56.0ccupies a rear end portion of the cam slot 58. It will be obvious that, if desired, said rear end portion may be horizontal, as shown, up to a point where the cam slot drop 69 begins so that said point may be somewhat forward of the normal position of the cam follower 65. As the geheral operator drivers or racks 46 are advanced either by advance of the power operable main driver 55 or by means of a handle (not shown) on the shaft 52, the cam follower 65 follows the cam slot drop 69 and thereby causes the cam lever 6U to b e rocked counterclockwise of Figure 4 until the cam follower reaches the bottom of said drop 59. The general operator rnember.45 is thereby advanced relatively to the racks 46 so that although the latter have not completed their advance strokes, the general operator member is in full advanced position when the cam follower has reached the bottom of the cam slot drop 69. lIt will be understood that at the same time that the general operator member 45 is thus advanced relatively to the racks 46, it also moves along with said racks 46 to the extent that said racks have moved up to the time the cam follower has reached the bottom of the cam slot drop 55. As the racks 45 complete their advance movement, they tend to advance the general operator member 45. But this is counteracted as the cam follower 65 follows the rise 'I0 of the cam slot 53 thereby causing the lever 6l! to rock clockwise relatively to the advancing racks 45 and thus negativing the tendency of said racks to further advance the general operator member 45, and therefore the latter remains stationary during a final portion of the advance of the racks 46. These several operations take place in reverse sequence during the return strokes of the racks 46. Thus, at an initial portion of the return stroke, the general operator member 45 is stationary until the cam follower 65 begins its rise up the cam slot drop E9. During said rise, the lever is caused to rock clockwise relatively to the racks 46 and the general operator member 45 is thereb'y advanced rearwardly relatively to the racks 45 for full return to normal position. The stationary period of the general operator member 45 at the nal and initial portions respectively of the advance and return strokes of the racks 46, as afforded by means of the cam slot portion 10, gives ample time, during the cycle of the racks 4B, for carry-over operations.

In the embodiment in Figures 6 and '7, the parte are normally at the Figure 7 position. As the driver or roller 13 revolves to the dotted line position at the left of Figure 6, it traverses a certain distance in a direction parallel to the stroke of the general operator member 45. The general operator member 45 has, however, `been fully advanced and therefore to a greater extent than said distance, due to the formation of the cam face Tl. Thereupon the driver or cam roller 13 traverses the dwell portion 18 of said cam face Ti until it reaches the dotted line position at the right of Figure 6 and therefore, in the meantime, the general operator member 45, which has been fully advanced in said distance, is caused to be stationary for affording the time interval for the carrying operations; As the driver completes its cycle from the dotted line position at the right of Figure 6, it fully returns the general operator member 45 and therefore moves the latter through a greater distance than the stroke of said driver from the Figure 6 right hand dotted line position to the Figure 7 position, this greater return of the4 general operator member 45 .being accomplished by reason of the contour of the camface 82.

' Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvementsmay be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: l. In a computing machine having reciprocatable register bars or the like; a general operator member therefor movable in forward and return strokes, a driver movable in forward and return strokes, and means, including a cam-device, whereby said driver drives and controls said general operator member, said cam-device enabling said'driver to move said member its full forward stroke within a leading portion of the drivers forward stroke and, conversely, enabling said driver to move said member in its full return stroke within a latter portion of the drivers return stroke, said driver stroke portions being materially less than the full strokes of said mern- 20 lever having its fulcrum connected to said driver to reciprocate therewith, and having one arm connected to said general operator and another arm controlled by said cam-device, said lever and cam-device cooperating to holdthe general operator stationary while said driver moves in final and initial portions, respectively, of its advance and return strokes.

3. In a computing machine having reciprocatable register-bars or the like; ya reciprocatory general operator therefor, a driver for said general operator, movable in forward and return strokes, and a cam-device and connections by means of which said driver fully .advances and fully returns said general operator during a primary part of the driver forward movement and a latter part of the driver return movement, said cam-device and connections positively causing said general operator to be stationary and substantially unmovable for the period including the remaining part of the driver forward movement and a rst part of the driver return movement.

4. In a computing machine having reciprocatable register-bars; a reciprocatory general operator therefor, a driver for said general operator, reciprocatable in forward and return strokes, a driving connection between said driver and general operator arranged for permitting movement of the general operator rela ively to the driver while the latter is driving the general oprator, and a cam-device acting on said connection during the cycle, (1) to advance the general operator relatively to the driver while the latter is advancing the general operator during a primary part ofthe driver forward movement, (2) to cause the general operator to be stationary during a period including the remaining part of the driver forward movement and a first part of the driver return movement, and, (3) to move the general operator in return direction rrelatively to the driver while the latter is returning the general operator during the remaining part of the driver return movement, whereby the driver fully advances and fully returns the general operator before and after, respectively, the stationary period of the general operator.

5. In a computing machine having reciprocatable register-bars; a reciprocatory general operator therefor, a driver for said general operan tor reciprocatable in forward and return strokes, a substantially iixed cam, and a driving connection, including a cam follower, between said driver and general operator, said connection, cam and follower cooperating (1) to advance the general operator relative to the driver while the latter is advancing the general operator during a primary part of the driver forward movement, (2) to retard the general operator so as to cause it to be stationary during a period including the remaining part of the driver forward movement and a rst part of the driver return movement, and, (3) to move the general operator in return direction relatively to the driver While the latter is returning the general operator during the remaining part of the driver return movement, whereby the driver fully advances and fully returns the general operator and register-bars before and after, respectively, the stationary period of the general operator.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 18, said driving connection including two laterally spaced levers having fulcrums connected to said driver, said general operator being in the form of a transverse bar extending between and connected to said levers, each lever being provided with a cam follower, and a cam being provided for and cooperating with each follower.

7. In a computing machine of the character described, a cycling mechanism for reciprocating register-bars or the like, said machine having devices operative in a time interval between the end of the advance and the commencement of the return of the register-bars, including, in combination, two side racks connected for reciprocating in unison, a register-bar engager extending transversely of said racks so as to be reciprocable therewith and, at the same time, be movable relatively to the racks in the registerbar .advancing and returning directions, a cam associated with each rack, and` a cam-following lever, for each rack, connected to said registerbar engager and having a fulcrum connection to the rack, said cams and cam-following levers cooperating during the cycle (l) to advance the register-bar engager relatively to said racks during a primary part of the forward movement of said racks, (2) to cause the register-bar engager to be stationary during a period including the remaining part of the forward movement and a rst part of the return movement of the racks, and (3), to move the register-bar engager in return direction relatively to the racks during the remaining part of the rack-return movement, said stationary period of the register-bar engager affording said time interval.

8. In a computing machine having reciprocatory elements; a general operator mechanism therefor, including a driver reciprocatable in forward and return strokes, a universal member for engaging and driving said elements, a diferentially controllable coupling device operatively connecting said driver and member for enabling the driver to reciprocate said member, and means cooperating with and differentiallycontrolling said coupling device automatically during the driver strokes so that said driver and member have dissentaneous movements.

HENRY L. PITMAN.

VvGERTIFcAtLfE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,206,577. `July 2, 19m.

.HENRY L. PITMAN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line 29, claim', for the cla-im reference numeral "18 read 5; -and'that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this 21ml day of september, A. D. 19LL0.l

Henry Van Arsdale,

l(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

